Uneasy Alliance
by JCO-03
Summary: Elizabeth Bowen(OC) is forced to work alongside Sark when both of their lives are put at stake. Please read and review.
1. Chance Meeting

Bodies pulsed to the music blaring through the sound system. The smell of sweat and alcohol filled her nose as she pressed through the crowd. Heads turned to watch her pass. She couldn't help but draw attention. She was a tall blonde dressed to kill. Her blue eyes narrowed as she spotted her target. She reached the edge of the dance floor. Time to go. She began to saunter over to the body guard stationed at the side door. Seriously what was it with all of these evil crime lords and their dance clubs? She couldn't count the number of times she had had to break into their offices located at their "trendy clubs". Oh well, it only made it easier for her. As she made eye contact with the guard about to dish out her best seductive smile, something to her left caught her eye. She couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a flash of shocking blond hair and an expensive suit leaving the second door to the rear offices.

She quickly spun on her heels and scanned the crowd. Damn it! There he was...Sark, no doubt leaving with the disk she had just been attempting to steal for herself. Only one thing to do now. Much to the dissapointment of the guard she had been approaching, she turned and began to push back though the crowd, this time in the direction of the cocky assassin making his way towards the door.

She stepped out of the club and breathed in the welcome scent of fresh air and began to scan the area for Sark,only to have her breathing violently cut off by a hand wrapped around her throat. She cursed herself as she felt a familiar body press against her back as a head leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Looking for me, Ms. Bowen?"

Damn him and his accent! She could feel herself leaning into his touch as his other hand wrapped around her torso locking her arms in place. Not the time to be thinking like that, she was a professional god damn it! He would kill her without a second glance she knew and she needed that disk or her boss would kill her on first glance.

"Mr. Sark what a pleasant surprise" she choked out. That hand on her neck was going to have to go. While her upper arms were held in place by his arm she was able to discreetly reach her hand up the side of her skirt to the small gun concealed there. Yet another advantage of slutty clothes, easy access to weapons.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you almost sound disappointed" Sark commented as he leaned in closer to her face his lips a mere breath away from her ear. Elizabeth took this slight distraction as cue to kick out with her leg and make Sark loosen her grip on her. She quickly spun around and trained her gun on the cocky Brit.

"Not disappointed in the least, you are just the person I was looking for, I believe you have something that belongs to me." she stated as she cocked her gun.

"Oh really, and what, may I ask, would that be Ms. Bowen?" Sark replied, showing no shock or fear at the turn of events.

"How about you just hand over the disk and end this little charade Sark?" Elizabeth stated as she glared at the man in front of her. He was so damn sexy she really just wanted to drop her gun and get on to other more interesting things, involving him and her and finding out exactly what lie beneath those expensive suits he always wore. No no no! Bullet in the head! Just because she found him undeniably sexy didn't mean he would hesitate to shoot her in the head. 'Bullet in the head' always seemed to be the mantra she stuck to whenever she was around Sark. It helped her keep her focus and not delve ino fantasies that were better off being ignored.

"Well, I am afraid we have a problem, Ms Bowen, because I am not inclined to meet your demands" Sark smirked as he stepped closer to her. Elizabeth fought the urge to step back and stood her ground.

"Well, you might want to rethink your..." she was cut off as Sark grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm painfully behind her back causing her to drop the gun and bringing her back once again in contact with his front. Damn him to hell she thought as she cursed herself for losing concentration. At least this time he wasn't cutting off her air supply.

"Rethink what, exactly" Sark teased as leaned in and sniffed her neck. She unconsciously tilted her head giving him better access. "You know I saw you on the dance floor inside, and I must say, this...dress...of yours" Sark began as he trailed his hand up her exposed thigh to the edge of her very short skirt ostensibly to check for more concealed weapons, "really does wonders for you my dear."

"Sark..." Elizabeth began only to stop as she felt his hand move up to her hip and draw her even closer to his hard body.

"You know this disk you mentioned...well, I think we might be able to come to some sort of agreement." Sark said as his lips brushed against her exposed neck and his hand traveled to her run along her stomach, all the while still holding her arm pinned behind her back.

"And what kind of agreement would that be?" Elizabeth sighed as Sark continued his ministrations on her neck and stomach.

"Oh, I think you know what kind of agreement I am looking for" Sark replied as he spun around her and pressed her back against the wall with a dull thud. "You give me the artifact you stole from me in Revenna and I will share the information on this disk with you."

"Oh" Elizabeth replied. She tried to fight off the disappointment that coursed through her body. Bullet in the head, she reminded herself yet again. "You're still sore about that one, are you?" she couldn't help but tease.

"Do we have an agreement Ms. Bowen?" Sark demanded as his grip tightened around her.

"I suppose so, you know as well as I do that I can't show up without this disk." Elizabeth begrudgingly gave in. She hated making any concessions to the cocky bastard. The numerous occasions where they had run into each other in the field seemed to always end with him coming out slightly ahead. She was tired of losing to him. Well at least there hadn't been a bullet to the head, she consoled herself. She was able to hold her own against him, just not defeat him.

"I am so happy we could come to an arrangement Ms. Bowen" Sark drawled as he leaned into her.

"Oh get off me already!" Elizabeth growled as she pushed him away. Any attraction she had been feeling was washed away by the overwhelming sense of defeat. There was nothing she hated more than losing.


	2. Back to the Hotel

Elizabeth and Sark walked side by side into the plush hotel lobby. "Now I trust you aren't leading me into a trap, Elizabeth?" Sark questioned as he glanced at the agent next to him.

"Oh so it is Elizabeth now, not Ms. Bowen?" she questioned in return. She knew better than to try to betray the man beside her, despite how tempting the idea seemed.

"Well, I thought it was only fitting seeing as how I am escorting you to your hotel room tonight." he smirked. Elizabeth just rolled her eyes and continued walking towards the elevator.

"You know, us being seen in public together could be harmful to both of our careers...Elizabeth" Sark continued, stressing her first name.

"No need to worry, I hacked into the surveillance as soon as I checked in. After you leave I can erase all evidence that you were ever here, so unless we are being watched right now, we are fine." She cooly replied, slightly insulted that he thought she hadn't covered all of her bases.

"Well, I must admit that I am impressed. Were you planning on betraying your boss when you came on this mission?"

"No, I just like to be prepared" she curtly replied as they stepped onto the elevator together. She pressed the button for her floor and stood against the back wall. "So how did you get into Yakevetti's back room tonight?" she couldn't help but ask.

"A good spy never reveals his secrets" Sark replied.

"Just trying to make conversation." God he infuriated her in so many ways. The elevator doors slid open and she brushed past him and began walking towards her room. Luckily she still had the artifact that she had stolen from him last week in her possession, otherwise she wouldn't have had anything to bargain with. "How did you know that the artifact was still in my possession Sark?"

"Like I said, a good spy never reveals his secrets" Sark smirked.

"Ugh! You can be so infuriating!" Elizabeth rummaged through her purse for her key. Upon locating it she slid it in and opened her door. She walked in with Sark close on her heel.

"You don't mind if I change into something more comfortable do you?" She questioned, not really caring for the response, as she stalked towards her bathroom. The dress may have suited her purposes at the club but she couldn't stand being squeezed into it any longer.

"By all means" Sark grinned at her salaciously. She rolled her eyes as she stepped into her bathroom. She quickly changed out of her skimpy dress and into a pair of khakis and a long sleeved black shirt. She just wanted to be out of that dress as soon as possible, it still reeked of the club. She walked back out into her room and turned to Sark.

"Well, I suppose you want the artifact now. I know I want a copy of that disk." She walked over to thewall whereshe had stored the artifact in a safe behind a picture. She had just puched the picture aside to openthe safewhen Sark grabbed her arm.

"What is it now.." she began only to be silenced by his hand and the serious look on his face. She cocked her head to the side and tried to listen for what he was hearing. There it was, the unmistakable scratching sound of someone outside her door trying to pick her lock. She quickly replaced the picture andreached for the gun in her purse as Sark pulled his out of his holster. Their eyes locked as they moved to each side of the door. Elizabeth and Sark trained their guns on the door and just as it was about to open, the balcony glass door shattered and commandos streamed in. Elizabeth spun around and began firing at the men entering through the balcony while Sark shot at the men coming in through the door. Elizabeth gasped as she felt a tranquilizer dart pierce her shoulder. The last thing she saw before she was overcome with darkness was Sark's figure crumple to the ground with two darts sticking out of his back.


	3. Captives

"I can't imagine what took you so long to wake up. You were only shot once, I checked. I, on the other hand, took two darts and woke up an hour ago." A British voice broke the silence.

Elizabeth groaned as she pushed herself to a sitting position. Her head throbbed and her entire body ached. "Is everything a competition with you?" she asked of the man sitting next to her as she tried to work the kinks out of her body.

"No, I just naturally win everything, competition or not" Sark replied with a grin.

"You consider being kidnaped and locked in..."she took a moment to examine her surroundings "a dank smelly basement of some sorts winning?" She turned to him and gave him her best glare despite the pounding in her head.

"Well, not exactly, but once I escape I will have won." Sark answered with his ever present grin.

"And how exactly do you plan on escaping?" She couldn't help but fall victim to his obvious baiting.

"A good spy..."

"Never reveals his secrets" Elizabeth cut off. "I know, I know, you insufferable cocky bastard. You do realize that you sound like an 8 year old boy when you say that?" No matter how many times she told herself to just ignore him and his remarks designed with the sole purpose of getting a rise out of her, she couldn't stop herself from engaging in the pointless banter.

"Oh touche" Sark said, his smug grin never leaving his face.

"Unless you have a plan to get us out of here, don't talk to me, my head hurts" Elizabeth said as she gingerly lowered her head into her hands. She didn't feel up to contemplating her current situation.

"It's probably from the gun they used to knock you unconscious." Sark replied matter-of-factly.

"A gun? What? I was shot with a tranquilizer."Elizabeth said as searched her head for injuries, finding a huge tender lump on the back of her head.

"Nobody is arguing that, but you started to wake up while they were transporting us and they knocked you out by force." Sark said, seemingly bored out of his mind by the conversation.

"And how exactly do you know this? You were shot too." Elizabeth accused.

"Yes but when I woke up I had enough sense not to draw attention to myself and to pretend to still be unconscious while you, on the other hand, started groaning and trying to get up so they had no choice but to knock you out by force" Sark informed as he stood up and stretched.

"Well, while you were pretending to be unconscious, did you perhaps figure out who kidnaped us or where we were being taken?" Elizabeth demanded as she ignored his criticism of her post wake up behavior. She wouldn't fall victim to his baiting again. Sark began to take a look around the small room they were confined to. It was a simple rectangular room with a concrete floor and walls and one light bulb hanging from a chain in the middle of the room casting an eerie glow across the room's inhabitants.

"The only thing I could gather about our captors is that they were professionals. As for where we are, your guess is as good as mine."

"Great, we're never going to get out of here." Elizabeth mumbled.

"Now what kind of defeatist attitude is that? Of course we are going to get out of here. I am Julian Sark after all"

"Once again with the cockiness. Don't you ever get tired of hearing yourself speak? You know, you are known for your cool professional demeanor. How is it that I have never seen that side of you? It has to be better than this one."

"Well, what can I say, you bring this out in me"

"Oh so I am to blame..."Elizabeth was suddenly cut off by the sound of the door opening. Elizabeth quickly stood as Sark moved to her side. The door swung inward and a young man stepped inside flanked by two armed men.

"Mr. Sark, Ms. Bowen" he said in a slightly french accent as he nodded to each of them. "I presume you find your living conditions quite comfortable" he scoffed. Elizabeth just glared at him, too on edge to retort.

"May I inquire as to who we should thank for their hospitality?" Sark answered for the both of them.

"You will be meeting him shortly. In the mean time I suggest you get comfortable, we are going to want you well rested for our purposes."

"Your purposes?"

"No need to worry Ms Bowen, all will be explained in due time." With that he turned on his heel and left. The door securely locked in his wake.

"No need to worry, my ass." Elizabeth mumbled as she slid down the wall to a sitting position. "So you think he works for Thibodeau?" She asked looking up at Sark. He nodded as he came to sit next to her.

"Yeah, what tipped you off?"

"The guard on his left. I never forget someone who has shot at me, and he definitely falls into that category."

"Really, and what, may I ask, were you stealing this time?"Sark joked.

"You know, I don't just steal things."Elizabeth replied, slightly offended. Sark gave her an incredulous look "Okay, so I steal a lot, but it's all for a reason." Elizabeth pouted "And you're one to talk, most of the things I steal you are trying to steal as well."

"Point taken, so what is your history with Thibodeau?"Sark prodded.

"Not extensive really, he just outbid my boss on some plans for a weapon. I ended up being sent in to retrieve them. Unfortunately, our intel was wrong and the plans weren't where I was sent, just a bunch of guys with guns. I barely managed to escape." She suppressed a shudder at the memory, it really was too close of a call.

"Not really a reason for you to be taken captive, though." Sark reasoned.

"Exactly, so what is your history with Thibodeau?" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at Sark. If she was here because of him she would never forgive him.

"I don't have a history. I have just heard his name."

"You have to be holding out on me, I'm sure you pissed him off in one way or another. Why else would we have been taken captive?"

"Well it seems it isn't revenge, he needs us for something. Maybe intel or expertise in a certain area. Whatever the case, he wants us alive, which bodes well for the time being."

"Yeah, the time being. What do you suggest we do?"Elizabeth asked, fighting off the fatigue that was threatening to overcome her.

"Well for now, wait. We are in this together, when we have a better idea of what is going on we will decide what the best course of action is."

"Together?" Elizabeth questioned as she looked into Sark's eyes.

"Yes, I much prefer our odds if we stick together, don't you?" Sark quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I suppose so." Elizabeth reasoned as a yawn split her face.

"Come on, how about you try and get some sleep, he said we should be well rested. I'll stay awake and keep watch first."

"Okay"Elizabeth replied, thankful for the offer. She tried to get comfortable on the hard concrete.

"Hey, it could be worse, we could be in CIA hands." Sark joked as he wrapped his suit jacket around Elizabeth and offered his shoulder for her to lean on.

"Ha, I guess you would know all about that." Elizabeth grinned as she sank into Sark's embrace and into the welcoming unconsciousness.


End file.
